Scandalous Sonata
by Dark Moon Crystales
Summary: On Lloyd's and Genis's feelings towards one another. Follows storyline distantly. BxB! Parts rewritten.
1. Uno : There's Something In The Air

**Scandalous Sonata**

So, just in case someone missed it:

**THIS FIC IS FRICKIN' GAY.**

I guess that doesn't leave anything unsolved. If you decide to flame me, come up with something original instead of the classic argument; "being gay is wrong because if everyone was gay no one would be alive" or "you are sick for liking two men in love, that's retarded and you don't deserve to live." Those have started to get boring by now since I've been writing yaoi and shounen-ai for almost one and a half years and every now and then someone thinks they are so clever when they flame me with that.

And **HEY. **Although this fic is Genis /Lloyd/Kratos/whoever/whatever, I've made Genis a bit **older**. He's fifteen in this fic, which means that he has an adult body and therefore there's no child abuse involved.

Oh, enough rant. Hi, everyone. I'm Dark Moon Crystales, mostly referred to as DMC. I write mostly yaoi and shounen-ai, but I do have one fic with straight people in it. I'm an obsessive fan of Link/Roy from Super Smash Brothers.

And one more thing… I just love people with wings in their backs, so I changed the story a lot. I hope you enjoy this story!

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**Uno :: There's Something In the Air**

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Lloyd sat at the back of the class, listening to Raine go on and on about all kinds of historical places. Sure, he believed that they was amazing and all, but when Raine mentioned all the fancy names of the eras and styles of architecture it started to get boring.

His eyes wandered around the room, until they found the back of his best friend, Genis.

He found himself looking at his back very often these days, not only because he had changed so much in front of his eyes in such a little time, but also because he had started to feel all fluffy when he looked at him. What had happened to Genis had been as if someone had snapped their fingers and Genis had suddenly got taller, broader and if possible, smarter. His voice had become low, he sounded a lot like a teenage-singer, still practising how to use his voice. His shoulders had got a broad, nice shape, noticing something like that made Lloyd feel somehow funny. He never thought loving someone would make him notice all the little things as well.

But although he had gone through his puberty, he still looked very fragile and he was nowhere as tall as him. His legs were long, but thin and milky white as if they were glass. He was beautiful, just like a half-elf like him should with his silvery spiky hair and sparkling marine blue eyes. Although the puberty had changed his face to a more manly shape, he still looked a little like a girl. And he was just as cocky and irritating as he had always been. But somehow, Lloyd liked that side of him. At least he wasn't being too modest.

As if Genis had somehow sensed his eyes on him, he glanced over his shoulder and their eyes met. Lloyd gave him a confident smile as he woke up from his thoughts. Genis answered it with a snort, turning back to study. The smile still stayed on Lloyd's lips, for reasons he couldn't say. It just made him feel so good to be around Genis, watch him study and grow, learn more magic and all.

"Oh, but I promised to go to the cathedral at around noon today. It is a fabulous cathedral by the way, built during the Yokai-era and--"

"Get going already." Genis said, sighing. Raine could go on and on about history and old buildings, artefacts and so on. She remembered every date in history worth having been written down, by just one glance she could tell when a building had been built, from the smell of ink she could tell how old a book was. In short, she was simply obsessed.

Raine shot Genis an accusing glare. "While I'm in the cathedral, keep studying. And when I say study, it includes you as well, Lloyd."

"Oh, me?" Lloyd scratched the back of his neck with an awkward smile. "But Raine, you should be proud, I haven't fallen asleep today even once!"

"It's a step to better." Raine smiled as she left, mumbling something about needing to spare time to watch the artefacts and frescos, the statues and architecture in the cathedral. Without hesitation Lloyd closed the huge book Raine called schoolbook (Man, the epic was heavy as a brick!) and walked quietly next to Genis, who ignored him completely.

"Genis, you can't be seriously studying when she's gone!" He said, grinning. Even if Genis wanted to study he wouldn't let him because he didn't want to get bored sitting in the quiet classroom as the only one who didn't give a damn.

"Unlike you, I want a good education." The answer was simple, yet it hurt a little. It sounded as if Genis was talking about him as some low-life scum who didn't even have the brains to count to ten.

"Not every skill's taught in school." Lloyd answered, a little pissed that the brat was smarter than him. Normally he didn't mind, but sometimes when Genis bragged about his intelligence it made him want to challenge him and beat him, but there was no way he would ever be as smart as the mage.

"Of course not." Genis answered simply, writing something to his notebook.

A silence fell over the class when everyone studied. Except Lloyd, who sat next to Genis, wondering what he should say to make the mage lift his eyes from the book. It was so boring, just sitting there without anything to do, listening to the sound of pen on paper, the clock ticking on the wall. So… boring…

Genis flinched as Lloyd's head hit the table with a bang. Instinctively he had taken his book into his hand away from Lloyd in case he would drool on the pages, glaring him.

"Huh? I wasn't sleeping!" Lloyd said as he realized everyone's eyes on him, holding back laughter.

"Sure you weren't." Genis answered, taking a little distance between Lloyd and his books. In just a matter of seconds he was so focused with his studying again that Lloyd was sure that the mage wouldn't even notice if he stabbed him.

"Are you alright?" Colette asked worriedly, trying not to laugh with the others.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Lloyd said, feeling a little awkward.

As the silence fell over the classroom again, Lloyd could feel the calm, drowsy feeling approach him. He knew he needed to fight it, but it was so hard. When something was really boring he just couldn't stay awake. The whole school was nothing but waste of time, waste! Nothing good could come out of sitting inside the whole day. Actually, he wanted to go out right now and nothing could stop him. Raine was so into archaeology that it would take her hours to come home even if the trip to the cathedral took only a half an hour. What would be even greater would be following her into the cathedral to see what it looked like. If he was caught he could always tell her that after listening to her praise the cathedral so much he had had to see it.

"The perfect plan!" He said out loud, once again breaking the silence. Genis lifted his eyes from his book with a deep, tired sigh, looking him into the eyes with a questioning look.

"Thank God I wasn't concentrating, otherwise you would've disturbed me." He said sarcastically before returning to his book.

"No, listen to me, Genis." Lloyd explained, waving his hands excitedly. "You know how Raine always talks about the cathedral and how cool it is and blah, blah, blah?"

"Apart from the blah, blah, blah, yes." The young made propped his head on his elbows on the table.

"Well, we could go check out the cathedral!" Lloyd said, full of excitement. An adventure would make his day, but it sure was boring to go alone. And reckless. And he didn't want to be the only one punished if they were caught.

"But we're supposed to study!" Genis argued. As if he didn't know that, he was just too lazy to read the epic everyone else seemed to be okay with.

"Don't be such a wuss! It would be fun!"

"But didn't Raine tell us to stay here and study?" Colette asked worriedly, throwing her golden hair behind her. "I wouldn't want to make her mad at us…"

"We won't let her see us! Wouldn't that be great? Just seeing the cathedral…" Lloyd spoke, trying his best to get his friends come with him.

"Yeah, sure it would be great, but is it worth risking to be seen by Raine?" Genis said, his voice was monotonic as if he couldn't care less.

"Well, yeah!" Lloyd said excitedly. "Colette could maybe get a peek of her father and all!"

"Oh, that would be exciting!" Colette clapped her hands together, smiling. She was in.

"Yeah, it would!" Lloyd continued. Before Genis could protest, the two dragged him outside.

Standing in the midday sun was more than great to Lloyd. He had always enjoyed the warm touch of the sun, caressing his skin. As he looked at the sky, he noticed that only a few weak clouds sailed on the cerulean background without a direction or destination.

"Let's go", he said with a smile to the two. Colette giggled happily, but Genis didn't seem that happy to leave the classroom.

"We should study." He remarked.

"Oh, come on! It's once in a lifetime when you can see the Chosen's father!" Lloyd answered with an almost desperate tone of voice.

"But it's alright if you don't want to come." Colette said gently. Actually she wanted to go alone with Lloyd because then she could tell him how she felt. She had tried so many times to imply her feelings with all kinds of little presents and all, but Lloyd had always only told her what a great friend she was. It was time she told him her feelings face to face, using those three words. Then maybe Lloyd would understand.

Genis gave her a weird look. "I'm already here, why would I want to go back?"

Colette sighed. "I thought you wanted to study, but it's good to have you with us."

Lloyd turned to leave, but saw a monster running their way. "Genis, Colette! We're being attacked!" They all backed up a few steps while getting ready to fight, to face the monster. It was a snake, not big, but highly poisonous. Just one bite could kill ten people! Lloyd took his twin blades, Colette her rings and Genis his kendama and they were ready.

"You're going down!" The young mage said defiantly as he started casting a spell he had just learned.

Lloyd watched Genis cast the spell, working so intensively with the kendama. It was amazing how well Genis already knew his body although he had been in it for such a short time only. His slender body turned and twisted like a dancer's, every step and every move planned. The snake died with only one Fire Ball, leaving them victorious.

Then something happened that he hadn't been expecting. He felt something down in his pants, getting alive. Before he realised it, it was already too late. Genis was looking back at him with a _rather _confused expression. Lloyd could feel how the red rushed to his face and without a word, he ran off.

"What happened?" Colette asked from Genis with a surprised expression, watching Lloyd run away. "Why did he leave all of a sudden?"

The young mage looked at her for a while, wondering what he should say.

"I guess he had to pee." He said finally, hoping that Colette wouldn't think about it any more than that. He felt a little guilty for looking at Lloyd with such confusion and decided to comfort him. But the excuse he came up with wasn't the greatest… "And… uh… I need to pee too."

Colette turned to look at him with a hint of disbelief in her eyes. "Right. Don't let me hold you back."

Genis dashed after Lloyd, understanding his embarrassment. Thank god Colette hadn't seen it, otherwise she would've probably thought of him as a pervert or some kind of a twisted weirdo. She thought everything except holding hands before marriage was sin and wrong and everyone who did so was a pervert. Well, what can you say? Others like a little distance.

Gladly Genis knew where to look for. Whenever Lloyd was upset he went to the river near Dirk's house. Every time, no matter what. Genis jumped over the small stump as he rambled through the forest towards where Lloyd was, wondering how he should react or what he should say to Lloyd. He wasn't that good when it came to comforting people so it was rather hard for him to come up with anything before he was already at the river.

Lloyd didn't know how long he had been sitting there, watching the water flow by him when Genis suddenly sat down next to him, putting his feet into the cold river. As the water touched his feet he grimaced because it was a little cold.

And awkward silence fell over the two. Lloyd was just too embarrassed to say anything and Genis had no idea how to bring the matter up discreetly. Finally Lloyd had gathered enough courage to say with a quivering voice:

"…Genis, it's true… Ever since you've looked like an adult, I've been… in love with you." Lloyd said, looking at the mage's feet in the water. Somehow it felt relieving to let that out, let Genis know how he felt. Of course it had been difficult, but how long he could've been hiding it? And even after what happened in the battle… Genis had probably got the idea, but he wanted to clear any misunderstandings. He didn't _only _lust him. He loved him as well.

"That wasn't love back there." Genis answered with a sarcastic tone, regretting it immediately when Lloyd turned his head away. He should've known that Genis didn't know how to be discreet; he just simply blurted out whatever he thought. His words made him feel like a pervert or something. He hadn't _meant _for it to happen. The thing had its own will!

"But I am _in_ _love with you._" He said, although he knew it to be the truth it he felt like he was assuring himself about it.

"Do you mean _lust_ when you say _love_?" The silver-haired boy asked, still with the sarcastic tone. Lloyd wanted to grab him and throw him into the river for being such an idiot in such a delicate situation. It was as if Genis didn't definitely feel the same and was just turning the dagger in his wounded heart.

"No, of course not." He answered, acting as if he hadn't understood what Genis was trying to imply. It was hard to act ignorant because he was feeling so embarrassed and so humiliated, he knew it had to show on his face as well.

Genis let out a laugh. Was it sarcastic too? "Hey, come on! I saw you! You were turned on by me!"

Lloyd got up quickly, not wanting to answer as the blush spread on his face. He just wanted to run away, hide and stop existing. Such humiliation, such embarrassment, they weren't easy to overcome. Before he got away, Genis took a hold of his leg with both of his hands, hugging it tightly.

"Hey, I didn't mean it like that…" The mage said soothingly as if he was talking to a baby.

Lloyd looked down at him with a painful expression on his face. Maybe he hadn't meant what he had said, but it didn't change the fact that his words had hurt him.

Genis looked back at him, begging him to stay with his eyes. "Lloyd …I just have no idea what to say, you know, when someone's being aroused by me."

"…You could say thank you." Lloyd answered as sarcastically as Genis had answered to him earlier. Sweet revenge.

Genis rubbed his head against his leg like a kitten. "I'd rather have you."

"What!?" Lloyd almost fell over as he heard the mage say that. He tried to free himself with a heap, but failed, falling on his butt on the grass. Genis smiled as he saw his scared and confused expression. It confused Lloyd even more. Hadn't he just acted like he was making fun of him? Hadn't he just tried to make him admit that he was some kind of a pervert?

"I said I'd rather have you. Are you deaf or what?" Genis said, leaning his head a bit.

"G-Ge-Genis… I… I have to… I have to go home now." He stuttered, trying to pull himself away from the young mage to escape. They had swapped roles, he had made the first move, but now Genis was coming onto him.

"Sure, like I'm going to let you run away." The silver-haired boy said sarcastically, holding his leg more tightly.

"Genis, let me go!" Lloyd cried, almost panicking. It was so scary not to know what someone was about to do next. Maybe Genis was just waiting that he'd try to kiss him so that he could humiliate him again or maybe he just wanted to see him squirm in front of him in his embarrassment.

"But you're being turned on by me right now!" Genis said, in his tone of voice was… was it a hint of pleading?

"Genis, let go of me, now!" Lloyd commanded, his voice quivering with all the mixed feelings he felt at that moment.

Genis didn't let go if his leg, actually he just hung tighter to it. "Lloyd! Don't be mad at me!"

"Why not!? You're just making fun of my love towards you!!" He shouted back at him, trying to free his leg to kick him, but the boy hung onto him like a burr.

"I'm just trying to tell you I love you as well!!"

At that moment Lloyd stopped. There was a moment of pure blankness in his head. Nothing happened, no sounds, no thoughts, no smells, nothing. Realising that Genis had actually been trying to tell him he loved him as well instead of wanting to make fun of him was something he hadn't expected at all. It took his head a while to start functioning properly again as he realised it and he crawled to Genis, grabbing his head in his hands quickly. Genis gasped, but relaxed as he understood what Lloyd was about to do. Roughly he pressed his lips on his, holding his eyes tightly shut for reasons he didn't know.

Behind them in the bushes, Colette fainted upon seeing two men kiss.

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Eh. Well, what do you think? I will follow the storyline distantly in this story, if you've noticed that this was the beginning. Just, there will be two Chosens who race against each other.

Thank you so much for reading; I'd love to hear your thoughts!


	2. Due : Stop Stuttering!

Hello, everyone again!

I'm sorry it took me so long to update! I just don't have much time to write these days because during the days I study in High school and in the evenings I have an Italian class. Not even mentioning everything else. -sigh- Oh, well. Enjoy the chapter!

**Reviewers:** This is a habit of mine. I think that when you take the time to review, I can show you my gratitude by taking the time to answer your reviews. Also, just in case you wonder, I answer by the length of your review. So, thank you so much for your reviews!

_Shadow Dark-Blade_: Thanks, I do my best!

_Katandshadow:_ Please, don't! Giant marshmallows are scary! I'm also horribly afraid of moose (not even mentioning spiders). –laughs nervously- They are so scary! Thanks for saying that, I'm really doing my best to write creatively!

_Wolf-Knight-Angel:_ Thank you for loving it! When I uploaded this story I was pretty sure I would be flamed to death because of the couple… But Genis and Lloyd are so wonderful together! Too bad Genis is a bit too young in the game, but gladly it doesn't affect fanfiction! Yeah, I know Devil May Cry and I love that game too (Dante is _so _cool!), but I never noticed that my author initials are the same as its…

_Jenny_: I updated the S.F.B.I. just a while ago and I need to focus on other stories as well.

_The Evil Maid_: Thanks, but what should I review?

_Chibi Bunny Raine_: Well, I never liked the idea of Kratos being Lloyd's dad, so at first I didn't want to make him his dad but I guess if I follow the SL…

_kika_: Abandoning fics is pretty normal for me too… But I promise, I'll do my best not to abandon this fic, because I really love ToS and I love writing a romance between Genis and Lloyd! I might update seldom, but it doesn't mean I've abandoned it. I may have forgotten a fic as well… I'll do my best to keep up the quality!

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**Due : St-stop Stut-stut-stuttering!**

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Lloyd and Genis looked up as they heard something rustle in the forest behind them, then glanced at each other with knowing yet scared gazes. Lloyd found it delightful how similarly they thought, even if he had no idea what Genis was thinking, he simply assumed they thought about the same thing: Colette. But if she had been there… man, that would cause some problems. In a second Genis was up and looking into the forest with narrowed eyes.

"Colette?" He called quietly, hoping that she wasn't there.

No answer. The forest hummed silently as the wind whispered between the leaves of the trees.

"Maybe it was just an animal." Lloyd said quietly.

"I think it was Colette." Genis answered, jumping into the bushes out of Lloyd's view, looking for her. After a while of nothing but rustling he called: "Lloyd, it really is her."

Lloyd sighed, knowing that now they wouldn't be able to spend time alone because they would need to take care of her now and come up with some kind of a story to fool her. He knew that it would be a huge shock for Colette to learn that two of her best friends were actually a couple. And even worse, her best friends were both _male_. In short, if she had really seen them, they would surely hear a lecture about it later, not only from her but probably from everyone else in Iselia as well.

"Lloyd! We have to carry her back to Iselia!" Genis demanded, his marine eyes flaming.

"…I'm coming, I'm coming." Lloyd answered, rustling to the young mage. Colette really was there, completely out cold. It had probably been too much of a shock for her to see two men kiss, no one had ever told the poor girl that people from the same gender were able to fall in love. He glanced at Genis, who looked at Colette with worry in his eyes. For a while he wanted to forget Colette and keep kissing Genis, but he was afraid that she would wake up and faint again or start screaming or something. If they carried her home in peace and quiet, they would be able to talk to her before she would go around telling everyone what kind of demons lived inside of their heads.

He lifted her up gently in his arms, starting towards Iselia. They rustled through the forest to the road leading to Iselia, Lloyd finding it very hard to carry someone when his boots sank into the moss and the tiny branches of the trees whipped his face. As he got to the road, Genis walked next to him and took a hold of his arm. His grasp was tight as if he was demanding attention.

"I can't help feeling jealous, though." He admitted, clinging onto Lloyd. He tried to sound like it wasn't a big deal, but his body language told a completely different story.

"She's a girl." Lloyd ascertained simply.

"Well, I kind of figured." Genis answered sarcastically. "And that's what makes me so jealous."

"Why?"

"My god, you sure are simple." The mage shook his head with a smile. "Normally men fall in love with women, not with other men. Now that you're carrying her I can't help feeling jealous because I know you might fall in love with her any minute and forget me."

Lloyd laughed. "It's you I love, Genis. You think way too much."

"One of us has to think for the both of us." Genis answered, looking away as if he was embarrassed. "And besides, I don't think I think too much because my fear is completely reasonable. Liking men is like pea soup. Nobody wants it. That's why you could easily ditch me and take Colette because she's a woman and liking women is okay."

"Genis…" Lloyd stopped to look into his lover's eyes. "Stop that."

Genis looked at him under his eyebrows like a little brat who hadn't got everything he wanted. He was about to say something, but swallowed it then as if he had realised how stupid he would make himself seem. Not that it would matter with Lloyd though.

They came to Iselia a little later and took Colette to her house. Lloyd laid her gently on her bed, sighing at the same time. As he put her pink blanket on her, Genis walked in with a bucket of cold water, his eyes shining mischievously. The brunette stopped him with a strong, yet gentle hand, taking the bucket from him.

"You're not going to throw all the water on her, are you?" He asked, putting the bucket on the floor and guiding Genis's hand behind his back. The young mage looked at him with a questioning look, glancing at Colette worriedly every once in a while.

"Colette's here." He remarked.

"And?" Lloyd asked, pulling the mage closer. He wrapped his arms around the boy gently, bringing him close enough to feel his warmth against him. Just when their lips were almost touching, they heard Colette let out a scared gasp.

"That _is _gross!" She screamed, covering her mouth with her hands immediately as if she had said something horribly insulting. "I-I'm sorry." She mumbled into her hands.

"Umm… Genis and I were… uhhh… he was just trying if I have a fever!" Lloyd said the first thing that came to his mind. Both Colette and Genis raised their eyebrows, not believing a word he had just said. "Uhh…It's easier to feel the warmth… umm… if you try it with your lips, right Genis?"

"Uhh…Yes. Lips feel umm… the warmth better. If he has… only a tiny fever I won't feel it with my hand…" Genis explained, looking around a little guiltily.

"Ohh…" Colette said, clearly relieved. "How very thoughtful of you, Genis."

"Uh, yeah." The mage said, avoiding eye contact.

"Are you going to try my fever or not?" Lloyd asked then, smiling.

Genis shot him a glare. "I think you're fine, actually."

"But we should make sure of it!" Colette said from the bed.

Genis glanced at her, then Lloyd. With a sigh he took a hold of the brunette's shoulders and forced him to bend a little to reach his forehead. He placed his lips softly on Lloyd's forehead, jerking away as soon as he felt the warmth on his lips. "I… I don't think you have a fever." He ascertained, looking away.

Colette smiled happily, getting up. The two sighed in relief internally, their stupid lie had been believed. Maybe she was just accepting any excuse because she really couldn't understand two men in love, she would need to see for herself before she would believe it. But it didn't matter; all that mattered was that she wasn't suspicious about them anymore.

After a while they decided to continue to the cathedral where they had been going to in the first place. However, as they got out of the building, they saw some Desians taking an old woman away. In an instant Lloyd realized they were taking away Marble, Genis's and Raine's grandmother. She was a very sweet person who had never done anything wrong, he couldn't even imagine her hurting a fly, much less annoying the Desians. A shot of anger gushed through his body as he saw the Desians touch her roughly when they forced her to walk faster.

"What are they doing to Marble?" Genis asked from Lloyd because he didn't know who else to turn to. As the brunette gazed into his eyes, he saw how lost he was; although he looked like an adult he was still walking on the line between adulthood and childhood, not knowing which he really was yet.

"Hey! What are you doing to her? Where are you taking her?" Lloyd ran after the Desians, but they pushed him away from her roughly. He lost his balance and fell on his butt on the ground, grimacing.

"She wasn't able to pay the rent." One of the Desians said, glaring at the brunette. "This is a warning to all of you!" He looked at everyone that had gathered to watch the scene, all wanting to oppose them, but no one having the courage.

Lloyd stood up quickly and threw his arms in the air. "You can't take her away because she hasn't paid the rent! I'll pay it for her!"

"It's too late." The same Desian said, pushing Marble towards the ranch.

Lloyd stood still, looking after her with sadness in his eyes, lost with what to do. Genis ran next to him, Lloyd could tell that he was panicking as well because his voice higher than normal:

"We have to do something!"

"Let's follow them!" The brunette grabbed Genis's hand to pull him after him when Colette ran in front of them.

"I'm coming too!" She declared, almost defiantly.

Lloyd reacted immediately. "No, please stay here, Colette. You fainted, you need to rest."

"Al-alright." She took a step back, looking at her feet. She understood Lloyd's worry about her condition because she was the Chosen, but she still wanted to be with him. Even if she had fainted and seen that very weird vision about Lloyd and Genis kissing… but it couldn't be true. Men couldn't fall in love with each other. It just wasn't possible. Not in any way.

She watched as the two disappeared into the forest as they ran after the Desians. Her rings fell on the ground without her noticing, she just looked after them, hoping that they would come back all right. Especially Lloyd, but scared by the thought she quickly prayed that Genis was safe as well.

Lloyd, he had no idea of her feelings. He held the mage's hand as they ran deeper and deeper into the forest, dodging the branches trying to hurt them, jumping over the rocks and the trees' roots sticking out of the ground. Genis had a hard time following him because he still hadn't got used to his body, he wasn't used to his long legs and broad shoulders, he kept hitting everything all the time and stumbling. Cursing, he hit Lloyd's back as the brunette stopped running.

He got up quickly, helping Lloyd on his feet as well. After glaring at him for a while he finally gave up, Lloyd wouldn't understand the trouble of getting used to a completely new body. The thought dropped from his mind as he saw Marble behind the high wire-netting fence, forced to push and pull heavy boxes.

"Marble!" Lloyd shouted with a smile as they ran to the fence, trying to catch her attention by waving their arms.

Marble noticed them and shuffled to the fence, smiling. "Lloyd! Genis! What are you doing here?"

"We've come to rescue you!" Genis explained, still waving his hands. Maybe he did it because he was panicking, maybe just because he had nothing else to do to make him feel useful.

"I'm so excited!" Lloyd laughed. The mage gave him a weird look, but didn't say anything.

Marble's face, furrowed by time, began smiling even more than before. "You don't need to rescue me. I've lived a long and happy life…"

"But we want to!" The brunette said enthusiastically, grabbing the fence and rattling it. His expression darkened as he remembered the Desians. "Those Desians… they're treating you like dirt! We'll save you!"

"But you don't really…" Marble fell quiet as she noticed that the two were no longer anywhere to be found. She smiled as she returned to work; it was so nice to have such youngsters in Iselia, ready to help everyone in distress.

Genis and Lloyd had made it on a cliff near the ranch where they could see into the ranch clearly. The brunette watched the Desians and humans for a while with hatred burning in his eyes, but said nothing. Genis probably felt the same and it was no use talking about it now, it was more important to free Marble. Still, he could feel the intense anger releasing adrenaline into his body, making his skin itch with the will to punish the Desians.

"Genis, you distract them while I cut the fence open and she gets to escape! " He said quickly, his eyes flaming.

The mage switched his weight on his other foot. "Well, it's not waterproof, but worth a try."

"Yeah", Lloyd agreed with a confident smile. He started towards the ranch when Genis began casting the spell. He knew how good-looking Genis was when he cast magic and did everything he could to not think about it, but in the end he had to turn around to see him handle the kendama so easily (something he had never mastered). For a while he still tried to keep going, but in the end he had to go back:

"Genis, I want one kiss before I go."

The mage stopped casting, turning to look at him with a confused expression. For a while they just looked at each other, Lloyd hoping he wouldn't ask any more questions and Genis wondering why he couldn't wait until they had freed Marble, then the mage seemed to get the idea.

"Don't tell me…" Genis started as he lowered his gaze."…it happened again." He finished flatly.

"Yeah", Lloyd drew a circle to the sand with his boot's tip with an embarrassed smile.

Genis smiled, Lloyd wasn't sure was he laughing at how pathetic he was or how sweet he was. He walked to him and grabbed him from his shoulders, kissing him sweetly. Genis wrapped his arms around him to hold him near just in case he would run away in the middle of the kiss.

Lloyd broke the kiss just before it would've gone too far and changed into something else. He smiled at his beloved before disappearing down to the wire-netting fence. Genis smiled as he went, happy that they had cleared the misunderstanding between them, otherwise their friendship would've suffered a huge hit if not even ended. He dismissed the thoughts as he began casting again, although he made using the kendama look very easy, it needed a lot of concentration.

Fully concentrated on his spell, he didn't notice that he was standing too close to the edge and as he cast the Fire Ball, the ground under his feet crumbled. He fell down into the bushes, cursing quietly. At least he had managed to cast the spell, now it was on Lloyd's shoulders to save Marble. He heard the metallic sound as the brunette's swords hit the wire-netting fence, the shriek it let out as it gave in and the joyous squealing of the imprisoned as they ran away.

Lloyd had seen Genis fall off the cliff and cut the fence as fast he had been able to before running towards his beloved to check on him. However, he hadn't thought that running to Genis would be a bad idea in his worry because the Desians noticed him as he ran in front of the ranch.

"Hey, you!" The Desian guarding the gate shouted.

"Hey, the guy in red! Stop right there!" His partner continued.

He understood then that it hadn't been a good idea, but he had already been seen; now he needed to be fast to get away. He only sped up; jumping into the bush he had seen Genis fall into. With one strong hand he lifted the mage on his shoulder and continued running towards Iselia, ignoring how Genis shouted to him about being such an idiot to run to him like he was some pathetic child who couldn't take care of himself.

He put the made down when he came to Iselia, hoping that they would be safe there. Iselia had a peace treaty with the Desians, they shouldn't be able to do anything to them as long as they were in the village. Genis glared at him angrily, he was really pissed that Lloyd would risk his life to save him. Lloyd kept on looking at him with an apologetic look, knowing that he couldn't have done otherwise.

The mage sighed, turning his face away as he admitted: "I guess I should say thanks anyway."

The brunette chuckled. "You're welcome."

"Although you're still an idiot." Genis said like a brat who couldn't admit he had lost.

There was a silence, as the mage looked at Lloyd from under his eyebrows and Lloyd looked back at him with a smile.

"Ge-" The brunette began, but he was cut off by Colette's scream.

"Colette!" Without a thought he ran to see if she was okay and she definitely wasn't. In front of her stood a large green monster, wearing a ragged shirt. The broken chains in its ankles clanked melancholically as it took long, lunging steps towards the Chosen, who was desperately trying to fight it alone.

"Colette! Are you all right?" Lloyd ran to her and helped her on her feet. Genis looked at her worriedly, but began casting magic as it seemed like the monster would kill all of them if no one did anything.

"Y-yes." She gave him a quick smile as they drew their weapons. "I'm fine. I'm sorry to worry you."

Lloyd sighed. "You don't need to apologise, Colette." He ran to the monster, raising the blades over his head. However, this left his stomach unprotected and the monster's large hand hit him right there. As he flew to the ground, he tried to breath but couldn't. Every time he tried to draw air he just let out a wheezing sound, worrying Genis.

The mage ran to him, taking a hold of his shoulders. As Lloyd looked into his eyes, he saw the same panic as he had seen in his eyes when the Desians had taken Marble away.

"Lloyd! Breathe! Breathe!" Genis rocked him back and forth, his marine eyes watering. In front of them, Colette fought against the monster furiously. At times she glanced over her shoulder to see if Lloyd was all right, but she knew if they all ran to him to see if he was all right they would lose and the monster would destroy Iselia.

Finally Lloyd managed to get some air, only a little, but it was enough to save his day. Genis let out a relieved sigh as he stood up to help Colette again. Lloyd got up as quickly as he could, getting ready to attack once again. This time he was going to be more careful; seeing the worry in Genis's eyes, the panic, the tears… he definitely didn't want to see them again. He shielded his body with the other blade as he let the other cut a deep wound across the monster's face. It countered his attack with another fist, this time meeting with his sword.

Colette spun around, throwing her rings carefully not to hit any of her friends. The rings cut wounds to the monster's arms, but it was hard to see through the fire Genis had cast on it. The rings returned to her and she spun around again, wondering where to attack next.

The monster groaned under Lloyd's rain of strikes, at times Genis's fireball made it fall over. For a time that felt like ages it just stood there, unable to attack. It was almost as if it was waiting to die. As Colette moved closer, she couldn't help the feeling that she had met the monster somewhere before, but inside she knew it was impossible. It was a monster and she had lived her whole life in Iselia where monsters were very rare, not even talking about something its size.

Finally it let out its final shriek, a heartbreaking cry towards the heavens. Its massive body fell on the ground with a loud thump. For a while the three stood completely still, waiting for it to get up and attack its final attack before passing onto the next world. But it never got up; it just laid there, the empty eyes staring into the distance, into the next world.

Standing on the monsters corpse they all sighed in relief. It hadn't been an easy fight, but at least the village was now safe. As they gazed up, they saw a group of Desians walking towards them, a man with turquoise hair leading them. He looked very powerful with a sword resting on his hip, a long cape billowing behind him like the sails of a war ship.

"You have broken the peace between Iselia and the Desians! State your names for the criminal record!" He said, his eyes flaming.

"We saved this village!" Lloyd protested. They had only done what anyone else would've. Anyone else just didn't have exspheres helping themselves.

The man chuckled, looking at the monster. "You killed our first successful research specimen, Marble001, how do you think you're going to get away?"

"…M-Marble001?" Genis's eyes widened as he said that. No wonder the monster had felt so familiar. It had been Marble all the time. The thought of killing Marble hit him hard; without any idea of who was looking he fell on his knees and sobbed quietly. He didn't care of the Desians took him prisoner, he had _killed a person _and he needed a punishment for his actions.

Lloyd glanced at him quickly wanting to go to him and hold him, tell him everything was all right, but he knew that the Desians wouldn't hesitate to use their weak moments for their own good.

The man with turquoise hair smiled a little. "Such a shame Marble001 died. Oh, well. We will find new specimen." He turned around, his cape following him by length. Without a word he marched away, the Desians looking after him with fear mixed in respect.

"State your names!" A Desian took a step forward as the man had walked away.

Genis looked up from his hands with hatred flaming in his eyes. "YOU! YOU KILLED MARBLE!" With one long jump he tried to attack the Desians, but Lloyd caught him in the air into his arms and held him tightly. Genis tried to free himself, scream and kill them all, but when Lloyd held him gently against his chest, whispering comforting words to him, the pain took him over all over again. His anger turned into sadness and he sobbed against Lloyd's warm chest, embarrassed that he would cry in front of someone.

"That's Lloyd Irving and that's Colette Brunel and the last one's Genis Sage!" One of the villagers shouted. Lloyd glared at him quickly, knowing that if gazes could kill he would've made a lot of bodies that day.

"Catch them!" The same Desian commanded.

In a flash, the three were gone. They were too tired from defeating Marble to fight against the Desians anymore, Genis was too sad to be able to concentrate properly, Colette was too weak to fight alone and Lloyd was too worried about his lover to fight. They ran towards the cathedral, knowing that the Desians wouldn't look for them there or at least it wouldn't be the first place they'd search.

They got to the cathedral that was a beautiful building with its tall tower and renaissance decorations. Above the two heavy oak doors leading into the cathedral was a huge stained glass window, depicting a woman with long hair sleeping on a bed of roses, surrounded with seven medallions, one for each summon spirit. They all looked at the view with silent awe for a while, really agreeing with Raine that it was fabulous.  
From behind them a low voice asked: "Are you the Chosen?"

Colette spun around; surprised that someone had got so close to her without a sound. Lloyd had jumped when the stranger had spoken and now tried to calm down his racing heart from the surprise. In front of them stood a tall man with copper-coloured hair covering his face almost completely, revealing only one emotionless nougat eye. He wore a tight purple suit with a cape, on his left hip a sword rested in its scabbard.

"Yes, she is. What's _your _problem?" Genis walked in front of her, looking at the man in purple with defiance in his eyes.

"Genis, I don't think you need to protect her." Lloyd said a little warily. He was awfully sure that the man could easily kill Genis if he wanted to get his hands on Colette.

But that wasn't the man's reaction. To their surprise, he blushed. An awkward silence fell over them, no one really knew what to say or do, they had all thought that the man was a threat or something, but he had actually _blushed. _In the end, Colette began giggling; she just couldn't help it anymore.

"I…I…" Kratos tried to collect himself, he couldn't be embarrassing himself the first time he met with them. Blushing ruined his believability as a mercenary and worse, as a man. But he couldn't help it; he had never seen something as beautiful yet defiant as the boy protecting Colette. He had beautiful silvery hair and blue overalls, making him look more like a child than like the adult he already was. Trying to talk felt like Kratos had just swallowed something that just wouldn't go down. He hid his eyes behind his bangs so that he couldn't see the angelic creature as he continued: "I am Kratos. I was hired to protect the Chosen."

"Who hired _you_?" Genis demanded, taking a step closer, looking for an eye contact but found none.

"A friend who wishes to stay nameless."

"What an odd friend you have." Lloyd said, wondering. "I've never met a person who doesn't want to have a name before…"

"Lloyd, stop thinking." Genis said over his shoulder, glancing at the brunette. Lloyd gave him an irritated glance; the mage shouldn't have made fun of him in front of a stranger. It was all right if he made fun of him when they were with their friends, but this man was something so cool that he wanted to be really smart and cool as well.

"How very nice of your friend to ask of you to protect me", Colette said sweetly before Genis got to answer. "I don't think I need protection though."

"Do you think these two can protect you?" Kratos asked, almost smiling. It was hard to say was he smiling or wasn't he because his eyes couldn't be seen. "I'm sure I am much more useful than them."

"Well, if you want to come with us, it would be great!" Colette clapped her hands together enthusiastically. "It's great to get more friends!"

Kratos sighed heavily, but nodded. "Then it is set." His eyes met with Genis's and he felt his face reddening. How awkward it was! He turned his gaze away quickly, hoping that no one had noticed the red rising on his face. He knew that if he could only ignore the boy he wouldn't have the slightest of problems, but it was so hard not to look at him. Just like it had been with his deceased wife.

"Let's go into the cathedral then!" Lloyd said enthusiastically. If Kratos had been hired to protect Colette he was probably a good guy and besides, he had blushed, so it meant that he wasn't a complete stone face. Lloyd knew he trusted people maybe even a little too easily, but he couldn't help himself. It was just the way he had always been.

They wandered around the huge building very quietly, admiring the beautiful architecture. Most of the time Lloyd admired Genis and vice versa, but every time Kratos or Colette glanced at them they pretended to be interested in the cathedral.

Everyone else noticed Raine except Genis and it was already too late when he had stepped into the light. He saw Raine, gasped and made his situation only worse. The professor spun around, surprised that someone with such a familiar voice would be in the cathedral. For a while she just stared at Genis who tried to smile innocently, wondering was she dreaming or had Genis disobeyed her once again.

"Genis! How did you get here?" Raine demanded when she realised she wasn't having a dream. "And without my permission! Why did you come even though I told you to keep studying? This is utterly reckless! You disobey me all the time, how do you think I can ever lay my eyes off you! Every time I look elsewhere you run off to endanger your life an-"

Genis looked around with a scared expression. If he didn't come up with something very fast she would spank him and he didn't want her to do that in front of Lloyd. Lloyd had seen him spanked before, but it was a totally different thing now that he was an adult. And besides, it wouldn't be appropriate of Raine either to hit his butt in a cathedral! His eyes met with an old pot in the corner of the room and in an instant he had an idea. "Uhh… What a … nice vase…" He stuttered.

"-d time after time I have to- what?" She spun around again, her eyes beginning to shine with excitement. "Oh, my goodness! It's a vase from the Miyong-era! And it's so well preserved; the hand-made decorations are just absolutely beautiful! Oh, could this be a ceremonial-"

Genis watched her go on about the pot for a while without knowing where to run before Kratos grabbed him and ran away with him. As the mercenary carried the boy in his arms he could feel his face redden yet again. If it just didn't happen every time he was with Genis everything would be fine! He tried not to think about him now, but it was so hard. It was hard because he was warm and he was in his arms, looking at him with widened eyes. He just had to glance into them every once in a while, his face's colouring switching between normal and red.

Kratos carried Genis all the way out of the cathedral, where they met up with Lloyd and Colette again. They began running towards the forest in order to get away before Raine would get out of the cathedral and see that it hadn't been only Genis that had left the class. Just when they were about to get into the safe hug of the forest, Colette fell over. Instinctively everyone stopped, Kratos running to her to see if she was all right.

"Ah, I told you all to stay in the class and keep studying!" Raine ran out of the cathedral, shouting. She quickly scanned the yard, noticing them near the forest. "Lloyd and Colette too! How can you three be so reckless?"

Lloyd scratched the back of his head as they walked towards her in shame. "But we really wanted to see the cathedral you spoke about…"

"Oh, yes. Well, then it's forgivable." Raine smiled. Architecture was really her true love, using it as an excuse was not only the way out of trouble but also the way into her heart. "Isn't it fabulous? The decorations on the outside were done during the early renaissance, as you can see the model for all the decorations comes from the classical times, the-"

"Maybe we should camp here for tonight. It's getting dark." Kratos cut her off.

"Who are you?" She looked at him with narrowed eyes, judging if she could trust him. Something in him told her to stay on her toes, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

"I'm Kratos. I was hired to protect the Chosen."

Raine smiled, hiding how suspicious she actually was about the stranger: "I'm Raine. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"As well." Kratos answered.

Quickly they put up a camp; somehow Kratos had managed to carry a tent for four people with him. No one asked any questions, but secretly wondered where he could've carried it. Only Lloyd didn't wonder, but it was no miracle since thinking had never been one of Lloyd's best sides.

The brunette didn't know if Genis had noticed, but Kratos kept looking at him all the time, a slight blush covering his stony face. Feeling a hint of jealousy Lloyd got up and walked to the mage, listening in to his and Kratos's conversation:

"D-did you make this?" The mercenary asked. Lloyd frowned because it felt weird to hear Kratos stuttering. He hadn't done it at all when he had spoken to him or Colette or Raine.

Genis looked up from his meal, he had been deep in thought. "Yeah, sorry if it's a little tasteless, but I didn't have all the spices."

Kratos turned his gaze away quickly when the mage tried to look for an eye contact, feeling how the red on his face just got brighter. "No, no, t-this is very g-good."

"…Do you always stutter?" The mage asked frankly the first question in his mind, looking for an eye contact even more than before. To him it seemed odd that Kratos never looked at him, whenever he tried to, the mercenary hid his eyes even more carefully.

"W-what? I-I don't stut-stutter!" Kratos stammered, trying to sound as casual as possible.

"Oh, t-then it mu-must b-be only m-me." Genis answered sarcastically as he returned to eating.

Lloyd couldn't help feeling bad for Kratos, the poor guy was only trying to be friendly. Genis was just so insensitive when it came to others' problems. The brunette put a gentle hand on his lover's shoulder, looking down at him with a question in his eyes: "Can I talk to you for a second?"

From the corner of his eye he saw Kratos glancing at him, probably wondering what he wanted to talk about with Genis. The mage hadn't noticed anything, he just flashed him a happy smile, looking more like a child than an adult then. "Sure."

Together they walked away from the others, so far that they couldn't hear or see them anymore. As the brunette finally stopped, Genis sat down with a sigh. He gazed at the brunette curiously until Lloyd sat down next to him, pulling him into a gentle hug.

"…Do you really think we should hide our relationship?" He asked as Genis answered his hug by pressing closer.

"Oh, yeah." The mage said sarcastically as he looked up at him. "Maybe we should tell Colette and let her rant about how sinful we are for the rest of her trip? Not even mentioning everyone we meet? How will they all react to two guys in love? Oh, they'll probably join us and trail _rainbows_ in their hands!"

Lloyd sighed, covering the boy's mouth with his hand. "Genis…"

Genis tore his hand away quickly, continuing with the jeering tone: "No, _no_. I think it's a wonderful idea! And in the end we will all live happily ever after in the magical fairytale-land where _all _of your dreams come true!"

"Shut up, Genis, I got the point." He said, annoyed.

"I've got more. And maybe if we try real hard we can make _everyone_ good so that there would be no ev-" Genis's eyes widened as the brunette pulled him into a sudden kiss. Although Lloyd's hug was strong, it was gentle as well, making him feel weak. The nice feeling from being held and kissed spread to his whole body and he didn't want to let go anymore to make more fun of Lloyd.

After the kiss Genis just looked at the brunette with a content smile, leaning his forehead against his. It was true that Lloyd was a little simple, but he was also a great person who had a large heart and a strong sense of justice. Sometimes he was being too optimistic about some things, but even though Genis always knew he was just trying to cheer him up, it always worked. Probably the cheerful, happy feeling spread.

"…You know Genis, when I first saw you I remember you were talking with Raine about the space and all those wacky things." The brunette said suddenly with a fond tone as if he was talking about something he cherished very much.

The word 'wacky' resonated a little in Genis's ear, but he decided to let it drop. For once. After all it was their only moment romantically together in a while without anyone fainting. Instead of saying anything he just pressed closer, letting Lloyd know he was happy by a kiss on his collarbone.

"…When you became an adult I noticed I… was falling in love with you and I thought that maybe a girlfriend would change my mind… Do you remember her?" Lloyd continued, looking at the dark blue sky with thousands of stars in it.

The mage had no idea why the brunette was telling him that, but just talking with Lloyd like this made him feel so good. It didn't matter what they spoke about as long as he could hear Lloyd's voice. "…Yes."

"Well, although I told everyone she's my girlfriend, she really wasn't." Lloyd sighed. Maybe back then he had already known that even if he would've had a whole harem of women he would never forget Genis, not as long as they would be only friends, able to touch, but only to a certain extent.

"Oh." Genis commented to the brunette's shirt.

"She just kept ignoring me and I followed her around... And at night I would dream about you and make out with my blanket." Lloyd finished, still looking at the stars. He didn't feel embarrassed at all to tell that to Genis, somehow it was only relieving to let it out.

There was a moment of silence before Genis turned to look at him in the eye. When he spoke, there was no sarcastic tone in his voice, only a gentle one that Lloyd had never heard before. "Lloyd, have I ever told you to leave out the final sentences of your stories?"

"…Yeah." The brunette answered by length. He sure hoped that Genis had understood his point and not just been shocked by his revelation. It wasn't really that weird, it had been only a blanket! It hadn't been anything kinkier than that, for god's sake.

Genis pressed closer again, rubbing his head against his chest like a tiny kitten, smiling happily. Lloyd rested a gentle hand on his head, watching him with a smile. "But seriously… I'd like to make love with you."

The mage gasped in surprise, coughing right after it as if he had swallowed something that just wouldn't go down. "A-aren't you going _a little_ too fast?"

"Why?" Lloyd asked, looking into Genis's marine blue eyes.

"We've been a couple for less than a day!" The boy explained, waving his hands in the air.

"…And?" The brunette smiled at him, not having any clue of what Genis was trying to say.

Instead of bothering to explain about getting to know each other better as a couple, the mage sweatdropped. "Let's at least get a room, alright?"

-

Yeah, I know. Kratos doesn't show much how he feels, but I wanted to give him at least something. He can be expressionless when he's not around Genis, but when he is, he'll keep on blushing and stuttering. Ah, so cute.

Thanks for reading, your comments mean a lot to me!


	3. Tre : Botta's Dates Are Full of Creeps

Sorry for taking so long! I've been awfully busy with other stories and everything, but I haven't forgotten about this one! I love _Lloyd/Genis_ to bits but because I'm so busy some of my stories get neglected… I'm going to skip all the dungeons. We all know what happens in them. Hope you don't mind.

In case you have time, check out my homepage. And now, enjoy!

**Tre: Botta's Dates Are Full of Creeps**

It took no more than the moving of a few blocks and facing a tiny beast before they came to an altar with a shining red gem. It was about the size of a fist, shining brightly enough to light up the whole room with an intense shade of red. As the gem quietly turned around the playful colours danced on the walls like aboriginals in their fiery celebrations.

"Is… that _a Cruxis Crystal_?" Genis asked, glancing at Colette.

She smiled at him, nodding as she clasped her hands. "Yes. They say I was born with that in my hand."

"Poor mom." Lloyd gawked; the beauty of the gem unfortunately hadn't caused his brains to malfunction. He didn't notice the short mage trying to shoot him a glare until Genis pulled his sleeve. And even then at first he thought Genis wanted to hug him and wouldn't stop trying until the boy kicked him.

A creature with large wings had descended from the heavens, looking at them with calm, almost pensive eyes. Quietly he hummed a dramatic song, trying to increase the theatrical atmosphere.

"I am_ Remiel_." He cleared his throat while flapping his massive wings. Delighted by the amount of mouths wide open he continued: "I am the Angel of Judgement. It is time, Colette, to awaken the sleeping _Goddess Martel_."

The crystal shone brightly for a moment. She then took a step towards it; it reacted to her by shining even brighter, shooting rays around the dim lit room. For a while the wild dancing of shadows on the walls reached a furious frenzy, a maniacal pattern before the gem attached itself into Colette's body. She touched it gently in agape, feeling the warmth it radiated into her.

Remiel waited for a moment longer before bellowing: "You are now the Chosen of Regeneration. We of Cruxis bless you and bestow the Tower of Salvation into Sylvarant."

There was a lot of talking after that, but Lloyd didn't really pay attention because of all the difficult words Remiel used. He seemed to love acting sophisticated and seemed a little aggravated by the knowledge both Genis and Raine possessed about the Cruxis. If there was something he needed to understand about what Remiel had said Genis knew how to explain it to him. When Remiel was done talking he lifted his right hand above him and looked at the sky, curling his hand into a fist and shouted _Superman _as he disappeared into the heavens.

A curious silence followed that. No one knew how to react until Colette couldn't help giggling. Genis started to giggle with her and soon all of them were laughing like mad at Remiel, who had only tried to be cool. Only Lloyd wasn't laughing, he was deep in thought. When Genis noticed this, he poked the brunette: "Don't think so hard or your head will catch fire."

"Genis… have you ever thought--"

The mage shot him a scornful glare, his voice dripping with sarcasm: "I don't _think_."

Lloyd wouldn't let the discouragement get him down. The matter was perturbing him and he needed an answer. "How inconvenient wings are? I mean, dressing up and sleeping, they must be really hard!"

"Please, Lloyd, do NOT think." Genis said, looking at him accusingly. He began towards the others, mumbling quietly: "Note to self; don't allow Lloyd to think again."

"Oh, okay." Lloyd said as he trotted next to him, luckily he hadn't heard the last sentence.

Kratos walked away from the others when he noticed the young mage approaching them. He still hadn't found a way to prevent the red rushing to his cheeks whenever Genis looked at him, no matter was it a glance or a stare or a glare or a gaze, he just couldn't help it. It was all beyond his control, annoying him past any limit in its pure naturality. He could only pray that the mage wasn't getting suspicious. But it seemed that the more he tried to avoid looking at him the more Genis seemed to want his attention.

They arrived to Tried, the desert oasis, shortly after midday. It was incredibly hot, even to the point of the air seeming to ripple. Sand was hot enough to roast bacon on it. The people of Triet, however, didn't seem to notice the hot air; everyone was well clothed. Men had crimson turbans and white clothes made of the thinnest cotton whereas women wore black long robes, only their dark brown eyes showing.

The market was chaotic to an unaccustomed eye yet still there seemed to be a certain pattern in the movement of the people. They moved from stand to stand, haggling, shouting, greeting each other with smiles on their faces. The sellers tried to make their offers heard through the general clamour but it was almost impossible to hear what they were saying.

"Hey, look! That poster!" Genis rushed to the information board, completely ignoring the chaos the others were admiring. "Lloyd…"

"Yeah?" Lloyd turned to look at him, leaning his head a bit.

Genis tapped the poster with a curious gaze. "This… this poster. That's _you_."

"Me? Now I understand why Raine's always complaining about my hair… What does she know about hairstyles anyway? She's a history professor, not a styling guru." For a while he waited for the professor to run and kick him for that because it had totally poured out of his mouth without him having any control over it at all, as usual. Genis looked at him from under his eyebrows, waiting for Raine to at least poke him with her staff but she never did. When he scanned the market quickly, all he saw were backs, more backs and a few goats. He bit his lower lip when he looked up at Lloyd:

"Can you see her?"

"Yeah, she's over there, talking with that salesman."

"Raine! Raine!" Genis dashed to his sister, worried about her wandering off alone.

"So you say this is an original fossil from the Jurassic era?" Her eyes shone with a mad glint as she spoke to a travelling salesman. The man had a very wide smile, no; it was more like a grin, on his face. His eyes were tiny and green, very observing. Under his long jacket he could've hid a horse and no one would've noticed it.

"Yes, very genuine indeed!" He assured the professor. The grin grew even wider, reaching the point of scary.

"Then why does it say _Made in Triet_?" Raine asked, pointing a small text on the side of the fossil she was holding. Genis took it from her and examined it very carefully. It seemed completely new, not even dirt was on it. It didn't take him long to realise that either it had been very carefully cleaned or then it was forgery.

The salesman's grin died in less than a second. He turned from overly eager to apprehensive in a split second, starting to sweat as he tried to come up with a sensible explanation. "I guess… uhh… you know, this is indisputable proof that the dinosaurs were actually a lot cleverer than what we thought!"

Raine's hands began to tremble. "…Unbelievable."

Kratos appeared next to her mysteriously, making her flinch. He noticed her interest in the travelling salesman who was, in the least, very suspicious. He seemed like the kind of a man who acted decent during the daytime but at night transformed himself into a robber; stealing everything he could get his hands on. And even his act of decency seemed forced, reeking with dishonesty. Kratos shot him a glare as he said: "Raine, let's go."

The professor turned to look at him, desperation showing in her eyes. Was she trying to look cute? "But I need to buy this… this _archaeologically _important fossil that proves--"

"Ah, souvenirs!" Lloyd came to look at the fossil she was holding while Genis walked to his backpack and suddenly Kratos was sweating. Genis had to tiptoe to reach, but Kratos couldn't force himself to help him. He was red enough without even touching him deducing from the hotness on his face.

Raine kicked Lloyd in the ankle gently. "They are archaeological findings. One of a kind!"

"Then why is his bag full of the same kind of fossils?" Genis asked, holding the same kinds of fossils in his hands. All of them said _Made in Triet_ and looked awfully simile to each other.

Raine's excitement was replaced by fury. Like a feral cat she attacked the salesman, accusing him of tarnishing the reputation of real archaeological findings. She scratched his face, leaving a very nasty wound with profusion bleeding. The man screamed and tried to leave abruptly but she hung onto him, her long nails doing prodigious damage to his face. Kratos began to pull her away from him, Lloyd just stood there and Genis gawked. He looked around, alarmed by the poster and noticed two whip masters looking at them from a tiny bazaar, whispering to each other quietly. Just like he had thought, the altercation had attracted unwanted attention. The chaos hadn't ensconced them.

"Lloyd." Genis whispered. "LLOYD!" He yelled when it didn't seem to work.

"What?"

Genis grabbed his hand nervously. "We need to run. Those guys, they recognise you."

"Oh, they do? Who are they?" Lloyd asked, following him through the multitude. "Some of your friends?"

"Idiot." Genis mumbled as he kept dragging him, occasionally dodging one or two lost goats. "We need to hide. I'll tell you later why."

"Let's go to a hotel!" The brunette exclaimed loud enough to make it clear for everyone where they were going.

Genis frowned but didn't stop. "A hotel?"

"Yeah, you said you would make love to me in a hotel room." Lloyd said with a cheerful tone. Genis slapped his forehead as he stopped, hoping that the multitude would hide them long enough for him to clarify the situation for Lloyd.

"Look, we're running away. We have to hide, _not _make love."

"But if we went into a hotel room we could kill two birds with one stone." The brunette refused to move when he tried to start dragging him again.

"And what if they found us, your hands in my crotch or vice versa?" Genis turned to face him with a furious glare. He loved Lloyd, but sometimes he couldn't stand his thickness. Especially when it endangered their lives. "They would probably let you go free because we're such an _adorable_ gay couple!"

"Exactly!" Lloyd declared, pulling him into a hug.

Genis sighed, part of him wanting to stay there in Lloyd's dumb yet warm embrace but another part of him wanted to protect him and that was his top priority, being the smartest in their group. Sometimes he wondered how someone as stupid as Lloyd could even live without someone at least twice as smart as themselves. "Let's just hide. In these barrels!"

Lloyd murmured but followed his imperious order. The barrel was rather tiny, filled with stagnant air. The lid hadn't been opened in days, maybe even weeks. Lloyd usually understood Genis's pranks, but this one was rather folly. He got into the barrel, throwing the boy one final gaze before putting the lid on. He was forced to sit in it with his knees against his chest, the dates as his cushion. For a while he was sure he would never fall asleep, but he had hardly even finished that thought before he closed his eyes and drifted to sleep.

Genis woke up and coughed up a few dates he had accidentally got into his mouth during the night. Afraid of having been heard he held his breath, for once happy that he was half an elf and having their hearing ability. His ears rocked back and forth as he tried to embody his surroundings. The silence surrounding him was complete. Nothing seemed to move; the only sound he heard was the crackling of the fire in the torches. Maybe he had slept until the early hours and sun was rising deducing from the thin beams of light filtering into his barrel. "Lloyd, I think it's safe now."

No answer.

"Lloyd?"

Silence.

"Lloyd? Did you fall asleep or are you mad at me?"

Nothing.

"Okay, Lloyd. Let's get that hotel room. Or what the heck. Anything's fine with me. I just don't want to be in this dark barrel any longer."  
Still no answer at all.

"Lloyd! What more do you want? Me to play some little housewife or agree to bondage or something like that?"

"Sure, I'd like that." But it wasn't Lloyd who answered.

Genis came out of the barrel, glaring at an old mad sitting in a rocking chair. The fire danced on the dry wood in the fireplace in front of him wickedly. "You could've said something earlier."

"Well, I wasn't sure what kind of a creep would be swimming in my dates this time." The old man said in a friendly manner, lighting his pipe. The wrinkles on his face seemed to fade away as he smoked the pipe, blowing little circles of smoke into the air. Genis admired them for a while; the ability to make such fragile, brief artworks was enchanting and in all of its vanity very uplifting. He knew he wasn't supposed to stay there when Lloyd could be anywhere goofing off, but the child part of him was very intrigued by the circles.

"Where did the other barrel go?" He asked, a little absent-mindedly.

"Was there a creep as well?" The old man smiled at him as he ruminated the smoke. It came out of his nose in a funny manner.

"…Just tell me where it went."

"I sold it to the commander's deputy commander, Botta." The old man exhaled another patch of circles into the air, admiring how perfectly round he had managed to make them.

"Oh damn." The mage gawked, dashing off. As he ran towards the facility he dug out the dates from his pockets and cursed the smell of olive oil lingering around him. It was making him hungry, reminding him of all the delicious dishes of the Italian kitchen. The barrels hadn't clearly been one of the brightest ideas he had had lately, but they had at least delayed getting caught. And as long as he was free there was hope for the others to be free as well.

Meanwhile the brunette woke up in his barrel, yawning. When he tried to stretch the barrel wouldn't let him and a few muscle cramps reminded him about the uncomfortable lodging for the night. For a while he waited listening two people talking quietly to each other, at times letting out casual chuckles. The participants of the conversation were both men, the other one sounded a little like Kratos. Who knew, maybe it was him playing a prank on him? How fun would that be!

"Maybe it's safe now to come out of this barrel, eh, Genis?"

No answer. Actually, the conversation died upon his question. Tired of needing to sit in the piteous barrel for many hours he opened the lid and looked out to see a very surprised face that didn't belong to Genis. Or then his ears had grown to tremendous proportions and turned brown. And turned into hair as well. Cleverly he deduced that it wasn't Genis.

"Okay, it's not safe to come out yet." He put the lid back on and sat quietly amidst the dates.

Botta blinked twice and cast a surprised gaze to Yuan before taking the lid off. Yuan calmly shrugged, brushing his long fringe behind his ear and glancing at his nails. Their colour matched his shirt. Botta knew not how to react to the creep that had tried to emerge from his dates and Yuan didn't seem to care. Thus he only inquired: "What on Earth are you doing in my dates?"

"I… uh… Well, Genis told me to hide here." Lloyd explained, his nougat eyes scrutinizing Botta at the same time. Raine should've seen his hair before telling _him _how to style his! Before he ventured deeper into thought, the man with turquoise hair asked him haughtily: "Who the hell are you?"

Lloyd looked at him, still in the barrel. "Tell me your name and I shall tell you mine!"

The man laughed abruptly, even though he laughed he never took his eyes off Lloyd. By watching his every movement he was trying to jog his memory. There was something familiar in the boy but he couldn't put his finger on it. "You certainly have guts, but I do not see a point in introducing myself to a miserable creature like you."

"I don't like to talk to idiots either." Lloyd snapped, narrowing his eyes. Why were they being so rude to him?

"And yet you are a very good one yourself." The man with turquoise hair replied, throwing his ponytail over his shoulder.

"Thank you, I try to--"

"Stop it, stop it." Botta said, wanting to avoid an altercation. "Come out of the barrel and we'll talk."

Lloyd got up and stretched with a long yawn. It felt so good to stand straight again. Yuan still hadn't taken his eyes off him, his mind trying to dig up the reason why Lloyd looked so familiar. It occurred to him the second Lloyd lowered his hands. The colour, the shape, the radiance, it had to be it. Quickly he exchanged glances with Botta, both realising just what they had caught in a barrel of dates.

"Lloyd!"

The brunette's jaw dropped. "Wow! You guys must be _psychic_!"

The man with turquoise hair looked at Botta for a while, clearing his throat to gain his attention: "I'll leave him to you. Do not disappoint me."

"So… Lloyd, this is going to be amusing!" Botta stood up as he drew his sword. Yuan walked out of the room, picking up a comb from the bookshelf and beginning to brush his hair while humming an old song. Lloyd couldn't understand why he hadn't fought against him as well, had it been because he was a coward or because he was merely lazy? As soon as he saw Botta's sword he thanked the good Goddess for not letting him face the two of them at the same time, that sword was huge. It didn't take Lloyd long to realise a hit from it would hurt.

"Lloyd, we came to save you!" Colette rushed in from the door with the others. She was holding a crooked hair pin in her hands, clasping it as if it had been a gift from the heavens. Genis came in right after them, followed by a scent of olive oil and dates.

"Ooh, you know what? I'd love some couscous with dates right now." Lloyd said as the scent reached his nose. Botta nodded with a smile:

"Or ostrich ragoût!"

"I've never tasted that…" The brunette said pensively, rubbing his chin with his thumb. He had seen Genis do that when he created hypotheses, always having wanted to do it as well. It made the mage look smart, why not him as well?

Botta put down his sword, vehemently waving his hands in the air: "I shall tell the cook to make us a patch! You'll love it!"

Kratos cleared his throat as the two carried on with the conversation. He had to do it quite a few times before they had the patience to put their conversation aside to listen to him. He got their attention, but at the same time also Genis's attention, something he had wished to avoid. "W-w-weren't we sup-supposed to f-f-fight?"

Botta tried not to giggle but couldn't help it. "Your mercenary's very scary." He said to the brunette, who replied with a smile. "But if that's what you want, then draw your weapons!"

"Way to go, Kratos." Lloyd said, wiping the drool off his chin. He had wanted to sup the ostrich ragoût Botta had mentioned, the smell of olive oil was torturing him with the mental images of all Mediterranean dishes, but Kratos had had to remind the deputy commander of the turquoise haired man's order. Without him they could be tasting all kinds of delicious foods, some of which Genis would probably want to learn for later use.

The battle began, but it seemed like Botta wasn't taking it seriously. He moved slowly and cast only a few spells every now and then. Only when the four were starting to get the better of him he reorganised himself. Spells began raining down on them, followed by attacks each fiercer than before. He was not only powerful but also fast, proving himself a tremendous opponent. Kratos did everything he could to protect Genis, but it wasn't enough. The small mage fell unconscious from a single spell, his glasslike body falling down. Kratos had a mental image of him shattering into millions of reflecting pieces like a mirror breaking if he hit the ground, at once dashing to him.

Kratos lifted him on his shoulder as he dodged the deputy commander's attack. Genis was warm against his shoulder, but his body was limp. Kratos landed on his feet agilely like a cat, the brown eyes flashing with a cold calculative gaze. He turned around on his heels, his sword slashing a nasty wound to Botta's temple. Without a second thought he put a hand on Genis to make sure he wouldn't fall off as he dashed towards the deputy commander again. Botta was quickly recovering from the momentary panic the blood flowing down his cheek had caused but still he wasn't concentrated enough to dodge Kratos's feet. The mercenary jumped on him, forcing him groaning on all fours as he continued over him towards Raine. He put the boy down next to her feet asking her to give him some potion to wake him up. Raine listened to his orders completely and in no time the small mage was on his feet, cocky as ever.

Lloyd had seen the whole thing but hadn't been able to help Genis. He had been too busy fighting with Botta to pay any heed to the others. A devastating realisation hit him: he hadn't been able to protect his loved one. Kratos had done it for him, proving how useless he was for the group. Genis wouldn't thank him for saving his life but Kratos. He hadn't been observant enough to notice his plight, he hadn't even looked at him when he had fallen, whispering his sister's name. All he had thought had been his swords, how to cause maximum damage, how to dodge effectively. A sharp pain stabbed his heart, ripping it into shreds. Genis, his beloved, could have died without the mercenary.

Lloyd stared at the ground, a mental image forcing a tear to roll down his cheek.

He returned to reality only when Kratos nudged him gently. The swordsman had noticed his pensive expression, deduced where it had come from and known there was nothing to be done to fix it before the battle would be over. Without Lloyd he wouldn't be able to protect both Genis and Raine while attacking Botta. The two were defenceless when they cast, and not only that. Both of them concentrated so hard that they kept their eyes closed. They had no idea what was happening until it was too late.

Botta was almost finished when he turned towards Colette. She began casting, at the same time begging for Lloyd to come and protect her. Lloyd ran towards her, determined to save her. He had failed to protect Genis, but had learned his lesson. Observing was the greatest skill he would ever learn. Raine noticed the valuables on the cupboard behind Colette as she cast First Aid on her. She dashed to them and took a tiny statue, throwing it to the deputy commander running towards them with apoplectic anger shining in his eyes. He received the blow in the middle of his forehead and fell down, unconscious.

"We've got to get out of here before there comes more!" Raine said after he had fallen, dashing to the control system of the facility with her silvery hair billowing behind her. Her indigo eyes danced on the machine while she pondered which buttons to press in which order. Taking a careful breath, glancing at Lloyd she pressed a few buttons carefully. Delighted by her correct hypothesis, she squealed while opening all the prison gates, setting the prisoners free as well as activating the self destruct program. "I opened the escape route just now. Let's go."

They ran for their lives. One wasted second could cost their lives, one slow turn, one stumbling. Genis ran right after Lloyd, holding his hand as tightly as he could. He would've panicked hadn't it been for him, his warm hand telling him he wasn't running away alone. Raine helped Colette, she wanted to make sure the Chosen wouldn't trip and die because of her. Kratos came behind everyone, just in case someone stumbled or would be left behind. Secretly, on some subconscious level he hoped for Genis to fall over so that he could save his life again.

Everyone panted as they got out of the facility yet no one stopped running until a massive explosion shook the ground. It threw them off their feet, one falling on another. A wave of heat passed over them, bending the trees with its powerful breath. At the same time small pieces of the facility filled the sky, turning it momentarily grey before a dark rain of dust and dirt, raised into the air by the explosion, fell down. The first on their feet was Raine, watching the facility go up in smoke, the flames licking the sky, coughing up more black fog.

She wouldn't let the others rest, not even for a split second. No matter how strained or exhausted they were, she pushed them forward towards the next seal, located in the middle of the desert. Upon questioning a reason for her hurry, she shrugged nervously, explaining something about Colette's well-being. Kratos tried to remark that she was just as tired as everyone else, but the professor ignored him completely. When Genis whined about the desert being too hot she smacked him with her staff. She made it awfully clear that she didn't accept objections.

They arrived to the next seal at the hottest hour of the day, all dying for a drop of water. It was even hotter than in Triet, the sand itself was almost melting and turning into glass. The sun shone mercilessly from the cloudless sky, staring at them hungrily like a vulture. There wasn't any kind of flora, no trees, no flowers, not even cacti! Having been prepared for battle both Lloyd and Kratos tried to stay sharp, but there weren't even animals. It was just too hot.

Colette sat in the shade of the ruin of the broken down temple when they reached it, gathering strength in case a battle would occur. The shade was a blessing; although hot it wasn't nearly as hot as under the sun's burning glare. She and Genis had suffered the most of their trip, she being the frailest and he being the youngest, thus being the only ones who fell asleep. Raine made a little snack, but to her surprise no one was particularly hungry. Instead of pouting she ran off to study the ruins, her squeals reaching their ears even from far away. No one said it out loud, but everyone knew why she had been in such a hurry earlier.

"I-is she al-always like th-this?" Kratos asked, cursing himself for stuttering.

Genis opened one lazy eye as he sighed, glancing him. He wasn't expecting for Kratos to create an eye contact with him, but it was polite to even try. "…And I tried to hide it so badly."

Lloyd laughed at that; the mage gave him a glance as well, smiling tiredly. He was trying very hard to act like friends when they weren't alone, sometimes succeeding so well that Lloyd suspected the genuineness of his feelings. Very casually he ran his fingers over his hand, eliciting a happy childish smile on the boy's lips. If Kratos and Colette only accompanied Raine they would've had a sweet moment alone.

They sat in silence for a while, Lloyd had never known what to talk about with Kratos. He seemed like one of those types of people who couldn't be interested in anything at all. They just followed others, never smiling, never laughing, never even cracking a joke. The brunette felt a little uneasy, desperately trying to dig up a subject for a conversation from his brain but came up with nothing.

"Uhh, Krat--"

"Thanks, Kratos…" Genis cut him off, obviously perturbed by the silence as well.

"F-f-for w-wh-what?" The mercenary asked, his face matching the colour of a beetroot. When he glanced at the tiny mage it seemed like Genis paid his stuttering no heed, or that was what he thought. Actually he wanted to find out when he stuttered and when he didn't, if there was a certain subject or a _certain person _that caused his stuttering.

"Thanks for saving my life. I owe you one." He said, gaining the eye contact he had waited for so long, emphasizing his gratefulness with a sunny smile.

Kratos, had he been able to, turned even redder, acting as if he had caught a cold. In the middle of the summer. Genis and Lloyd exchanged glances, both having the strange feeling of something being awfully wrong with their mystery mercenary.

"Come, everyone, _quickly_!" They heard Raine exclaim, forgetting Kratos's dilemma.

Colette sat up, rubbing her eyes as if she had just woken up. "I wonder what she found…?"

"Probably another _fossil _again", Genis said sarcastically, closing his eyes. He wasn't going to get up to see what kind of a historic piece of crap her sister had found this time. Lloyd didn't agree with him, dragging him behind him to the others. He tried to pout, but Raine shot him an angry gaze as if she had heard what he had said and he kept quiet. Another hit from a staff wasn't what he was looking for.

"Here. This depression reads _Oracle stone._ Colette, place your hand here, maybe it reveals the entrance." She spoke, giggling like a schoolgirl in love. Anyone in their right mind would've escaped or suggested a field trip to the nearest asylum, but they all knew Raine was mostly harmless.

"It has my family crest on it…" Colette said thoughtfully as she put her hand there. "Let's hope it opens."

"This stone is enchanted with magic designed to identify the Chosen. There's no question about it." Raine explained, her eyes shining as she scrutinised the _Oracle stone_. Genis rolled his eyes, heaving a heavy – and theatrical sigh like the brat he was. Lloyd put a comforting hand on his shoulder, stealing Kratos's chance of getting closer to the mage.

The door to an old stairway opened slowly on the ground, followed by a tiny earthquake. Slippery stony stairs were revealed, the dark walls covered in dark green mildew and slime. A smell of decay spilled out of the stairway, strong enough to make everyone hold their noses while still curiously trying to see deeper into the booming darkness that welcomed them. Whoever had last passed through the stairway had left it in an awful condition, and what's worse, left no candles behind.

"It opened! Wow! So I really must be the Chosen!" Colette squealed, clapping her hands together.

Genis raised his eyebrows as he shrug off Lloyd's caring hand. "I thought we all _knew _that already."

Lloyd ran to Colette, taking her hands into his to admire them. Maybe he was expecting to see some kind of magic glowing her hands, no one but he knew for sure. "Wow, you really _are _the Chosen! Let's go inside! Let's go inside!"

"I hope you'll be able to maintain that enthusiasm, Lloyd." Kratos said, to Genis's surprise he didn't stutter at all. At first Genis had flinched, not recognising the voice of the speaker. The mage frowned, but didn't say anything because he wasn't sure what it portended. Jumping to conclusions wasn't very wise, especially without asking Raine about any kinds of disorders and diseases that could cause selective stuttering, as folly as it sounded.

It didn't take long to kill the beast and solve the riddles. Except for Lloyd who simply had to be dragged around. When the others had finished the puzzle he realised what it was about, the trip to the temple to be accurate. Kratos didn't say a word during the whole time, he only solemnly nodded and avoided Genis's gaze. Maybe he too had noticed the frown and realised what the mage had frowned upon. Trying to explain why without telling the truthful reason would be hard, especially if he had to tell it to Genis's face. The mage was a prodigy, fooling him with fancy terms could prove to be impossible.

At the altar Colette offered her prayers and Remiel appeared to tell her about the next seal while flapping his massive wings. He seemed a little disappointed that no one seemed half as surprised by him as the first time they had met. He needed something more, something new and exciting to keep them in agape whenever he was around.

Lloyd and Genis stood behind everyone else, shyly holding hands. If someone had turned to look at them they wouldn't only have seen their hands together, but also the feeling between them could be seen on their countenances. Such happy faces shining with rapture couldn't be understood in the wrong way. At times they glanced at each other, wanting to kiss like lovers, wanting to touch warm skin under their clothes, wanting to whisper sweet nothings to each other's ears but knowing too well what would happen if they began cuddling. Remiel would forget to fly and fall down, Raine would make minced meat out of them with her staff, Colette would faint and Kratos… well… Kratos would probably blush.

"I shall now grant you with wings, the sign of the Chosen!" Remiel bellowed, trying to be very dramatic.

They formed into her back, thin and delicate like the finest of lace, sparkling with all the colours of the rainbow. Everyone had expected them to look like Remiel's wings, supposing he was her father, but her wings were like a butterfly's, spectacular in their beauty.

"Thanks so much… dad…?" Colette said, smiling happily. Remiel didn't reply, only smiled tenderly as Genis scampered to her, admiring her wings. They were truly like a piece of art.

Suddenly Lloyd exclaimed loud enough for everyone to hear it: "Oh, oh, I get it!"

"Get what?" Genis asked, touching the wings as carefully as possible.

"Angels must have lots of zippers!" Lloyd declared, but before he could verify his theory from Remiel, the angel had flown back to heaven. He had forgotten to commit his _Superman_-act in such a hurry, probably mistaking Lloyd's remark as ridicule.

Genis sighed. "Didn't we agree not to think about this anymore?"

"Oh, yeah. Sorry to bring it up." Lloyd said, looking away as they began walking out of the temple. "But I tho--"

"_Don't think._" Genis smiled at him, tapping his temple gently. "Something might go _kaput_ up there."

"_Kaput? _What does _kaput _mean?"

Raine didn't let Genis go on. "So, didn't Remiel say the next seal was behind… an _ocean?_"

"Yeah", Colette answered. "That's what he said."

"And how… are we about to cross the ocean…?" Raine asked, the giggly schoolgirl long gone replaced by a morose old man.

"I don't know. It'd be great if we could buy a boat or something…" Colette glanced at her, noticing the greenness of her face. She looked a bit ill; maybe she had accidentally tasted her own food. Ah, what a nasty thought!

"Oh…" Raine chuckled nervously, feeling how some of her gastric acids were crawling up her throat. "Couldn't we buy a plane instead?"

"I suppose we can if we have enou--" Colette started but fell over, hurting her hand on a stone. Blood spilled out, colouring the beige sand crimson. However, she wasn't sonorous although such a wound had most certainly hurt. Lloyd ran to her, his eyes looking at her wound with fear. Raine followed him, trying to ask Colette about her wound over the brunette's repetitive question of _Are you all right. _

"It's nothing. It doesn't even hurt." Colette explained with a sweet smile, looking at Raine with her cerulean eyes.

"Are you sure?" She asked, narrowing her eyes. A wound that large _had _to hurt; whatever Colette tried to hide was showing through her terribly bad lie.

"Yes." She looked at her feet. "I'm sorry to make you all worry."

"You don't need to apologise for that!" Genis exclaimed, watching Raine bandage her arm.

Raine didn't say anything. She merely observed Colette, keeping to herself. She wasn't a professor for nothing, which was why Colette's poor attempt to conceal her pain had almost insulted her. One way or another she swore to find out what kinds of side effects the process of becoming an angel had.

Together they decided to head back for Triet to spend the night at the local hotel. Everyone was exhausted from the long and eventful day, in dire need of beverages and nutrition. Without any clear reason they decided to eat Italian food for dinner if they only found an Italian restaurant. Only Lloyd seemed to be in a hurry to the hotel, wanting to skip the meal. No one quite figured out why.

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Finally a new chapter. Once again, I'm sorry I took so long!

Thank you for reading, please review if you want to see this continued!


	4. Quattro : Attack of the Giant Boobs

Okay, so it's been ages. I guess it was about time to update this one. I'm falling behind on all of my fanfictions and I'm really sorry about that. I'll try to be better, okay? And now, enjoy!

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**Quattro:: Attack of the Giant Boobs**

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They booked three hotel rooms, one for Genis and Raine (although Lloyd had volunteered to keep an eye on Genis and Genis had volunteered to keep an eye on Lloyd), one for Colette and one for Kratos and Lloyd. The two lovers had tried to sneak into the same room, but Raine wouldn't let Genis spend the night without her, arguing that he was still her little baby boy (something the others would remember for a long while). The hotel itself was tiny and cozy, a small wooden building far away from the noisy center of the town. The staff was friendly, always smiling as they passed by, ready to serve their every need.

It was a nice evening, cooling wind from the north made them feel relaxed after the extremely hot day. The sky was dark blue, not a single cloud had ventured into its vastness. The moon glowed brightly, it's round white face somehow melancholy. Around it millions of stars shone, forming constellations, each trying to shine brighter than the rest. Inside the bartender brought the travellers we know far too well drinks on a wooden tray. Genis, being the youngest, had been the first one to go to sleep. And he wouldn't have been served anyway.

Colette coughed quietly, trying to hide her nausea. After having fallen over at the ruins, she had felt her condition deteriorate. Seeing herself in the mirror made her feel even worse, her eyes were glassy, lined with dark circles, her lips were purple, her bearing was no longer straight. As she touched her skin, it felt like plastic. Whatever was going on, she decided to hide it as long as possible. She didn't want to worry others.

"Are you okay?" Raine asked, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Your face is all white."

"I'm-I'm fine", Colette answered, not sounding very reassuring. She left her drink on the table, trying to excuse herself quickly so that she wouldn't ruin everyone's evening.

"You should definitely sunbathe a little", Lloyd blurted. "Even your lips are turning purple."

"That's not it!" Raine snapped. Had she reached, she would've slapped Lloyd. "We need to get her to a doctor!"

"Wait", Kratos joined the conversation. He had been quiet for a long while. It had seemed like he had wanted some time alone, his dark clothes and the aura of mystery surrounding him, his bangs covering half of his face, solemnly gazing at his drink. He loved the pink little umbrella they had put in it. "We better not move her."

"Why? Is she paralyzed?" Lloyd asked, genuine worry in his eyes. Secretly, he was jealous about the umbrella.

"No. We must remember the angel's words." Kratos said. "The angel transformation process requires her to overcome a trial. Rather than taking her to a doctor, it would be best to let her rest here."

"I'm sorry to cause so much worry." Colette said, her eyes cast down. She tried to wipe the tears to her sleeve before anyone would notice.

Lloyd had seen her eyes glitter and hurried to say: "Don't apologise! You're the one being transsexual!"

"Transformed." Kratos corrected solemnly. He had noticed that long sentences, as well as long words were hebrew to Lloyd and needed to be avoided in conversation with him. Still, he had to correct him.

"You're right, Lloyd. I'm sorry I apologised." Colette said, taking the brunette's hand in her own. She forced an sheepish smile, the equivalent of an apology.

"It's all right." Lloyd answered, smiling at her. She blushed slightly, turning her gaze away. She couldn't help it, she liked the brunette. She always had. But whatever she had seen in the forest she had not liked. She had meant to apologise for eavesdropping, but decided to let it be.

Colette excused herself and wobbled upstairs to her room. After a few drinks the others were all tired enough to go to bed as well. Before Lloyd went to the room he shared with Kratos, he decided to stop by to see if Genis was already asleep. Besides, he was still jealous about the umbrella. He stepped into the mages' room, finding Raine sitting by Genis's side. The boy was sound asleep, his chest went up and down as he breathed. Every once in a while he'd snort and turn around.

"Lloyd", Genis mumbled in his sleep. "Forever…."

Raine smiled gently as she watched the young boy hug his pillow. Lloyd glanced at him too, trying to keep his thoughts innocent, but to make sure Raine wouldn't notice he decided to sit down.

"He's really attached to you", the older mage said, her voice soft and loving. She brushed a few hairs behind Genis's ear.

"He could be something else too if we shared a room", Lloyd murmured.

"Hm?" Raine asked, leaning towards him. "Did you say something?"

Genis sat up, covering Lloyd's mouth before any more would blurt out. He had been awake ever since Raine had arrived, only pretending to be asleep. "Can't I even sleep in peace? Get out, both of you."

"But Genis…" The two said at the same time, their thoughts on the exact opposites of the scale.

"Raine, you do know that the brain needs sleep in order to function properly and process all of the day's information?"

"Yes, you're right. We should all go to sleep." The older mage agreed. Lloyd didn't answer, he was too busy trying to understand what the boy had just said.

"Lloyd doesn't have to. He's a lost case anyway." Genis said, laying down again. The mages both chuckled.

Lloyd scratched his head. He'd missed the punchline, but wouldn't let it bug him. Raine went to brush her teeth and when he was sure she had the toothbrush halfway down her throat, Genis said apologetically: "I'm sorry, Lloyd. She insisted we share a room."

"It's okay." The brunette said, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. "She's still brushing her teeth."

Genis answered his smile with a devilish one. "Okay, but quickly then. Come, slip in."

Lloyd turned the lights off and slipped under Genis's covers, feeling the boy's warmth near him. It was almost completely dark in the room, they could only feel each other's warmth and the occasional hand that wandered to places where it shouldn't have.

"This is nice." Lloyd said, snuggling closer to his beloved.

"Mm-hmm", Genis mumbled. He was already drifting back to sleep. Lloyd felt the same drowzy feeling take him over. There they lay, right next to each other, Lloyd's hands around Genis as the mage breathed against his chest. The brunette wasn't sure, but he had a strange feeling Genis would've purred had he been able to. Just when he was about to fall asleep, Raine's staff hit him hard on the forehead.

"Get out of there, you perv!!" She bellowed, her staff hitting him again.

"Hee-hee!" Genis scorned. "She got you!" He didn't laugh long. "OW! Raine, don't hit _me!_"

"But!" Lloyd tried as he lifted his hands to cover his face. "But you said he's attached to me!!"

"Not THAT attached!!" Raine kept hitting him.

"Okay, okay, okay!!" The brunette begged. "I'll get up if you stop hitting me with that thing!!"

Raine stopped and checked had her staff suffered any damage. It was an artefact, something she had recovered from an archaeological finding many a year ago. It was hand-crafted, right before the glorious civilisation had fallen to ruin. Despite a few drops of blood on it, it seemed intact. She still knew how to handle priceless artefacts. Carefully she let her fingers trail up and down the beautiful wooden staff, momentarily lost in thought.

The brunette was already getting up, when he let himself fall on top of Genis. "Oops, I fell!"

The mage shrieked, unable to understand why Lloyd would risk whatever they had by trying to pull moves on him in front of his big sister. Who was like his mother. Like his _violent_ mother. He tried to escape to the bathroom from all the shame, but was now trapped under his beloved. Lloyd's mouth was quick to find his neck, but Raine's staff wasn't much slower in finding Lloyd's head. "Get off of him!"

"Owwie", Lloyd rubbed his head. "I almost seriously fell over!"

The brunette acted as if he was getting up, but let himself fall again, crawling under Genis's blanket. He was pretty sure Raine wouldn't find him there. Not many would've thought of a hide as clever as his. For the first few seconds he received Genis's foot in his face, but managed to control the boy's panic by taking him into a strong, demanding hug. In utter panic, the mage only tried to push Lloyd off, unable to have any romantic thoughts.

Raine's staff was merciless, but her aim was also very bad. After having broken everything breakable in the hotel room, she hit Genis in the darkness as well, causing a complete chaos. The small mage yelped, more of panic than pain. The two rolled off the bed on the floor, Lloyd hanging onto Genis's waist as the mage tried to push him away while Raine mercilessly beat anything in her range.

"I'm not touching anything!" Lloyd tried to defend himself in the dark. He had been trying to touch, but Genis had countered it with a foot, so it didn't count.

"I wouldn't mind if he did!!" Genis yelled, covering his head with his hands.

Raine had gone into a frenzy. She wouldn't stop whacking everything in the dark as she bellowed: "I'll _touch_ you just a little! And I hope it hurts!"

"Oww!! It does!" Lloyd squeaked as her staff found his back.

Genis tried to crawl under the bed for cover. "Don't hit _me!_"

"Why me then!?"

"Stop the violence!" Genis shouted.

Raine jumped on the bed to reach the brunette better. "I'll show you violence, you perv!!"

"Hey, that's the blanket you're hitting now." Lloyd sat up, holding the smaller mage by the ankle. He was wiggling on the floor like a snake, looking desperately for a place where he would have cover from his insane big sister.

"Oh, thanks." The older mage hurled the staff directly at Lloyd's forehead.

"That hurt! You're breaking my nose!!"

"Get out! Out! Out!"

After a lot of new bruises and a little bloodshed Lloyd was finally allowed to leave. Or rather, Raine's boot showed him the door and the corridor. Genis looked after him with an apologetic look, trying to cover himself with his blanket. He looked so fragile, still in a deep state of shock. His hair was a complete mess.

Quickly Lloyd composed himself and retreated into the room he shared with Kratos. Although it was clear that the mercenary as well as everyone else had heard their little scene, he said nothing. He just lay on the bed, gazing at the ceiling as if it were the starry sky.

At breakfast everyone was feeling rejuvenated after a good sleep. Lloyd kept glancing at Raine, waiting for her to smack him again, but she was calm and collected as usual. Despite the few drops of dried blood on her staff nothing seemed to remind them about last night. Genis gave Lloyd some very angry glares as he drank his orange juice. At times he would rub his head with a grimace, obviously a memory of the night still bugging him. Colette wasn't hungry, but she wouldn't say anything. She emptied her plate on the handkerchief in her lap, then excusing herself for the bathroom. There she emptied the handkerchief into the toilet bowl, hoping that whatever she was going through would pass soon. It would be terrible if the others had to worry about her constantly.

"This is really good", Colette said as she came back.

"What? An empty plate?" Lloyd asked, genuinely surprised.

Colette smiled at him gently. He really wasn't the brightest bulb in the box. Genis would've made a remark, but he was too hungry. He just kept gobbling everything down, making not very pleasant sounds. Table manners were never on top of his list when he was hungry.

"COVER YOUR MOUTH, young man! I don't want to swim in your spittle and snot!!" Raine was quick to put an end to his dinner theatre. Genis stopped immediately, a few noodles hanging from his mouth, shaking a little. He stared at her with wide eyes, not having expected this kind of reaction.

Lloyd chuckled, leaning towards his plate to eat faster.

"You too, mister! Chew your food and sit straight!" The older mage commanded. Not only Lloyd sat straight after that. Even Kratos paid special attention to his manners. Maybe he had noticed the dried drops of blood on Raine's staff.

As always, the older mage was the first to force everyone to either gobble down their breakfast or leave it. Lloyd devoured Kratos's bacon while the mercenary looked away. Raine was in a hurry to get to the seaside city, not because she was eagerly awaiting their trip across the ocean, but because if they had more time there, they could probably even find a plane. Or at least she would have more time to plan her escape.

Mountain air was cool and refreshing. Around them small, shy clouds sailed in circles, looking for a destination they would never find. The path they were walking on was rocky and more than once Colette fell over, sometimes because the stones were slippery, sometimes because her foot got stuck between them. Everyone else had problems with their balance as well. However, they felt as if the scenery was trying to make up for the tough ground. It was absolutely breath-taking, the vast fields spreading into the horizon, turning into mountains with snowy tops that reached out for the heavens. With a turn of the head, the view was completely different. A large city sat by the water, behind it an ocean glittering in the rays of the sun, small white caps racing for the beach. Some seagulls hovered above the harbour, probably looking for something to eat. Before they had time to admire the magnificence any longer, a woman's shouted: "Stop right now!"

Everyone did as told.

"Thank you very much", she continued as she dropped down from one of the trees, bowing a little. She had long dark hair in a messy hairdo, black leggings and a purple jacket with a cleavage no man would leave unnoticed. She had tied a large bow on her lower back, looking a little like a geisha.

"What?" Lloyd asked, reflexively moving closer to Genis. Raine pushed him away, he was sure he had heard her growl. For a moment he watched the staff, waiting for it to hit him on the already sore forehead, more afraid of the older mage than the girl who had just landed from a tree.

"Is she a friend of yours?" Colette asked, tugging at Lloyd's shirt.

"Not that I'm aware of," answered Lloyd. Clearly amazed, he continued: "My friends aren't that busty."

Colette glanced down, tying her jacket tighter. A sigh erupted from her lips.

"Is the Chosen of Mana among you?" The woman demanded, pointing at them.

The blonde girl's face lit up with childish joy, "Oh, that's me."

"But she doesn't give autographs!" Lloyd took a step forward, intent on protecting his friend. The woman lifted one questioning eyebrow, looking at Genis, who only rolled his eyes. He was somewhat happy that Lloyd had managed to use a long word correctly, but his remark had been completely off-topic. Although it annoyed Genis, he let it slide.

Meanwhile the assassin had decided to ignore what the brunette had said and yelled: "Prepare to die!"

She began running towards them, pulling something out of her pockets. She ran smoothly like a panther, her eyes shining with the intention to kill. Colette gasped and took a few hasty steps backwards, stumbling on something. She fell into a bush, letting out a cry and at the exactly same moment the woman vanished. Colette recovered quickly from her shock and crawled out of the bush with a sheepish smile, having no idea that her clumsiness had saved her life.

"She's invincible!" Lloyd shouted with awe, turning to face the others as he pointed at the spot where the assassin had stood just a moment ago.

Genis sighed, slapping his forehead. "It's _invisible_, you idiot. And besides, she only fell into a hole."

"Oh, no!" Colette said as she got up. "What did I do? I'm so sorry…"

"Don't worry. You might've been killed." Raine said, giving her an encouraging smile. Colette looked down, feeling sorry for her opponent, no matter how much she had wanted to end her life. She didn't want anyone falling into a hole because of her.

"But still…" She mumbled, but didn't continue under the understanding gaze of her professor. Raine knew her well, and although she herself wasn't the fastest to apologise, she appreciated the ability in Colette.

Lloyd burst to laughter as he ran closer: "Did you see that? There must be a secret lavatory down there!!"

Genis buried his head in his hands, seeming desperate. He had rejoiced too early. "Lloyd, _laboratory_, not lavatory. Don't use long words."

Colette lifted her hand to her mouth, genuinely worried. "I hope she's okay."

"I do feel sorry for her though", Genis said as he walked to the hole. He peeked into it as he continued: "Assuming her weight to be 45kg, and this hole to be 10m deep, and calculating the gravity constant at 9.8, she should remember this for the rest of her life."

"I'm fine!" They heard the woman's shout.

Lloyd lifted a stone and dropped it in. No one tried to stop him.

"OW!"

"Are you still fine?" He crouched as he yelled into the darkness.

"No! Besides, I broke a nail!" The assassin answered in an angry tone.

Colette ran to the hole, clasping her hands together. "I'm really sorry, lady killer!" She shouted.

"Nails grow approximately one mm per week, so assuming she drinks her daily basis of milk and gets the necessary nutrients for ideal nail growth-"

"Genis", Raine smacked him. "You're just showing off."

"Maybe", the mage shrugged.

"Man, she's got some really bad luck." The brunette said, stepping away from the hole. "You don't see people falling through trap doors every day."

Raine's eyes lit up upon closer examination. She was gearing up to start a lecture: "Actually, Lloyd, this is one of the hidden passage ways used when the Forbidden City was still off-limits for peasants. The emperor would come from these little passages to the mountains to enjoy-"

"We should get moving." Kratos cut her off, already knowing she wouldn't stop otherwise. "That woman will come after us and I'd rather take her on in a better environment."

Despite Raine's murmur, they continued their journey. Lloyd tried to walk next to Genis to sneak his hand into his, but Raine's icy glare scared him enough to walk a few feet behind. Genis knew she wouldn't leave the two of them alone in a long while, unless he gave her something much more important to think about.

He leaned towards Kratos, whispering: "Wouldn't you ask Raine about the Forbidden City?"

Kratos turned bright red, his eyes on everything but the boy. "S-s-sure."

Genis giggled on the inside, also wanting to see would the mercenary stutter while talking to Raine.

"Raine", Kratos took a few long steps to catch up with the professor. "Tell me about the Forbidden City." He finished flatly. The young mage scrutinized him, having noticed that he hadn't stuttered at all when talking to his big sister.

"Oh, so _now_ you're interested? It didn't seem like that a while ago", the older mage commented, crossing her hands on her chest. Kratos shrugged and fell silent. He was in his own thoughts again and didn't mind at all to have missed a lecture. Raine glanced at him, obviously waiting for him to beg to tell him everything she knew about the subject.

"Oh fine, if you _insist_", she sighed in exasperation, grabbing his hand. She had got tired of waiting. "About 500 years ago a monk had a dream about the most beautiful city in the whole world, which he then told to a famous bandit known as 'the Black Dragon.' He was so-"

Genis slowed down a little to walk next to Lloyd. Raine's voice trailed away. The sweet scent of conifer trees hung in the air. Every once in a while a small bird would dash from one tree to another, only to sing again what it had just sung.

"You just need to know how to handle her." The small mage said with a grin. "She'll forget about last night if you pretend having interest in history."

"And suffer for three hours in a row every time? You know I couldn't stay awake even for one hour in class!"

"Well, you were the one _falling_ on me." Genis accused, narrowing his eyes.

Lloyd only chuckled. "You would've done the same."

"No, because unlike you, I'm smart." The mage said arrogantly, running his fingers through his hair. He rolled his eyes as he continued: "If I knew you had even _one_ thought in that head of yours I'd ask what the hell you were thinking, but since your brain was left somewhere along the way when the stork brought you, never mind."

"Stork?" Lloyd leaned his head. "I wasn't brought by a stork. I'm an orphan."

Genis sighed. He stopped, looking at Lloyd with a pitying gaze. The brunette stopped as well, turning to look at him with a slightly surprised expression.

"What?" The brunette asked, lifting his hands.

"Look." Genis said, pulling him close. "You're the biggest idiot I've ever known. But somehow…" the mage fell quiet as he scrutinized the brunette's lips. It had been a while since he had tasted them. An almost shy smile appeared on his face as their eyes met. Lloyd was warmer than he remembered, his eyes were so inviting, so pure, so honest. The condescending tone was gone when he finished his sentence: "…somehow it only makes me love you more."

"You little nasty-"

Genis covered Lloyd's mouth to cut him off. Irritation showed on his face. The young mage bit his lower lip to calm down, but still the words erupted in an angry tone. "Do you always have to ruin everything by opening your mouth? Nothing good ever comes out of it, so make better use of it!" And with that, the mage pressed his lips on Lloyd's. The brunette's eyes widened, but as he felt Genis's arms around him, he relaxed. He answered the kiss, first calmly, then demandingly. His fingers dug into the soft silvery hair as he bent Genis backwards. Soon the mage gave in and lay on his back, his blue eyes yearning for more, his hands tugging at Lloyd's shirt.

"But still don't think I'll forgive you about last night anytime soon." The boy said, gazing into his eyes. It didn't seem like it.

"Of course not", Lloyd answered mischievously, trailing his hands up and down Genis's sides. "But down there's someone who wants to meet you." The brunette said, pointing at his pants. The mage giggled, grabbing his shirt and pulling him into another, more passionate kiss.

Their moment of sweet bliss was soon interrupted by Colette's scream. At first Lloyd hoped she had only stumbled again, clumsy as she was, but as they heard Kratos calling for them, they had to quit. Lloyd murmured as Genis pushed him away, adjusting his clothes and combing his hair with his fingers. He straightened his shirt as they ran to the others, only to see that the woman from earlier had returned.

"This time I will kill you dead!" She bellowed, looking a lot like a tiger going after its prey.

"Oh, you're you! I couldn't forget if I tried to remember!" Lloyd exclaimed.

"No one's ever survived breaking my nail!!" The assassin shouted, showing them the broken nail. It was just chipped, actually, but annoying nevertheless.

"We'll see about that!" Genis barked, drawing out his kendama.

The assassing bounced for Colette, drawing out cards. Lloyd burst to laughter, unable to even hold his swords. Raine giggled as well, something very uncharacteristic of her. No one had expected her to notice what was going on. For the last couple of hours she had been succumbed to the story of the Forbidden City, enough to bore Kratos out of his mind. He had even considered taking his own life. Too bad no one had noticed his pleading looks (truthfully, no one had dared to intervene in case they would've been sucked into the vortex as well).

"What are you going to do with those?" Lloyd asked, pointing at the deck of cards in her hands.

She seemed to hesitate a moment. "I'm… I'm killing you." She said, slight disbelief in her voice.

"With approximately 10,000 paper cuts, we might bleed to death." Genis said, his genius side taking over again.

The woman said nothing. She was probably wondering about her bad weapon of choice. Faced against a half-elf wielding a staff with a rotten targetting, an idiot with two swords who would probably fight a mirror if he saw himself in it, a guy trying to decide whether to take his own life or fight, a girl who would apologise if she didn't die and a small loud-mouthed boy with a toy… She narrowed her eyes. This lot wasn't going to win. Even if she had only cards.

"Get ready to die!" She dashed towards Colette, trying to slash her wrist with her cards.

"Owww…" Colette said, having had one of the cards against her face. So far, she hadn't got a scratch.

"Why do you want to kill us?" Lloyd asked, puzzled.

"Is that any of your business?" The woman asked in the midst of the card storm. She threw an ace at Lloyd, but it only floated in the air for a while before crashing into the ground. The brunette accidentally stepped on it, but wasn't harmed.

Lloyd tried to hit her, but she was more agile and he missed. "I guess it is…"

"I'm sorry we're not dying." Colette apologised genuinely as she took a few steps back, readying her weapon.

The battle went on for a while. Lloyd and the others were too confused to focus enough because their opponent had only cards as her weapon, while she desperately tried to do at least some damage. So far she had only managed to cut herself a few times. Realizing that she was only humiliating herself, she decided to try something else: "Okay, let's make a deal. A game of poker. You win, she lives. I win, she's mine."

"No way!" Genis barked. "We'll kick your butt all the way home!!"

"Just you wait! I swear I will kill you all next time!" She shouted, it was targeted at Genis. She took a small bomb from her pocket and threw it on the ground, waiting for it to blow and give her the cover of smoke to secure her escape. They all waited for a while, when nothing happened they all exchanged questioning looks.

"Just a second", the woman said nervously, taking another small bomb from her pocket. That worked and in a moment, she had vanished.

"We should keep moving." Kratos didn't let the others relax. "We are in constant danger."

"Those clothes..." Raine mumbled to herself. She was sure she had seen them somewhere, they were so familiar, but couldn't remember where. She would need a library to jog her memory.

"Is something wrong?" Lloyd asked, not having heard her.

"No, I'm fine. Anyway, let's go look for a place where we can get a vehicle to cross the ocean." The older mage said, walking past him. By 'vehicle' she meant everything but ships.

"If Genis goes, I go", Lloyd stated. "No one else needs to go, right?"

"If you go, I go", Raine growled, glaring at him as she positioned herself behind Genis.

"Is something the matter, Raine?" Colette asked, gearing up to apologise. Even if she had a feeling it wasn't her fault, she was still ready to be sorry for everyone else.

"No", the older mage gritted her teeth. "I only believe I need to talk to Lloyd."

The brunette leaned his head. Genis grimaced. He knew how painful it could be.

"_Alone_", Raine defined, pointing Lloyd with her finger, then slicing her neck with it as if it were a knife. Before the brunette could answer, she grabbed his hand and dragged him into the forest, far away from the others to make sure they wouldn't hear anything. When she stopped, she let go of Lloyd's arm so abruptly that the brunette fell over. She did nothing to help him back up, only crossed her hands on her chest.

"Now we talk." She growled, her light blue eyes narrowed.

Lloyd tried to think of a way of avoiding more hits from her staff, coming up with only one solution. "What about the Cruxis crystal?"

For a while Raine was caught off-guard. Her eyes widened and mouth fell open. She was taken aback that first of all, Lloyd could pronounce Cruxis, and secondly, that he was interested in something for once. Maybe there really was one lonely brain cell in the vast darkness of Lloyd's head, banging itself against the walls, desperately trying to show a sign that it had not died yet.

And so began the five-hour lecture about Cruxis crystals and there was nothing Lloyd could do about it. Kratos found them, forcing them to keep moving in case the assassin would return, but did nothing to save the brunette. And each time Lloyd stumbled because he had fallen asleep while walking, she would give him a new beating. The only thing Lloyd learned was to never ask her anything again. Genis did have good laughs though. He hadn't forgiven the brunette for having caused panic at the hotel.

---

There it is! I hope it was satisfactory after such a long wait! I'll try to update sooner _and_ introduce Zelos in the next chapter…

And now, because you all love fanfiction, please review! You know it makes my day!


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